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Are you proud of your fleet's fuel reduction practices or use of alternative fuels?

Get the credit for your efforts to green your fleet and in return we will share with you valuable information on your emission reductions.

Louisiana Clean Fuels is working with the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Program to document activities from the 2016 calendar year, and want your organization to be included. By providing this information, you help ensure the effectiveness of the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities program, and highlight the successes of fleets like yours in the LCF territory. Example activities include alternative fuel stations, vehicles, idle reduction, biofuels, and other fleet technology.

The Louisiana Clean Fuels territory recently expanded and now includes 56 parishes. The territory covers all of Louisiana except for the parishes not encompassed by the purple region of the map. Parishes not included in LCF's territory are: Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, and Tangipahoa. Those parishes are covered by our sister organization, Southeast Louisiana Clean Fuel Partnership. If your fleet operates in one of those seven parishs, please contact Rebecca Otte at the SLCFP.

Here is a link this year’s survey: 2016 Annual Report Survey. The questionnaire is designed to take less than 10 minutes to complete.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is establishing Alternative Fuel Corridors for vehicles that are fueled with compressed natural gas, electricity, hydrogen, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). These corridors have alternative refueling sites along a designated route on the National Highway System. The routes highlighted in green have been designated as signage ready and are eligible for highway signage, and the routes in orange are designated as signage pending meaning that additional facilities are needed to warrant highway signage. Other routes have been proposed to be added to the network which is expected to expand in the future. For additional information on these Alternative Fuel Corridors, go to the FHWA website.

According to the newly released 2015 American Housing Survey, 63% of all occupied housing units have a garage or carport. Garages and carports often have access to electricity for parked vehicles, so these data are important for electric vehicle market analysis. Seventy-percent of new construction units (five years old or less) have a garage or carport. The West and Midwest regions of the country have a greater percentage of housing with garages or carports, each with over 70%. For rental housing units, only 37% have a garage/carport, as compared to 78% for those owning housing units.

SHARE OF HOUSING UNITS WITH A GARAGE OR CARPORT, 2015

Note: A housing unit is a house, apartment, group of rooms, or single room occupied or intended for occupancy as separate living quarters.

For electric vehicles to catch on in the mainstream, consumers have to be comfortable they can handle everything a gas-powered vehicle can. Among other things, that means driving in extreme temperatures. No matter how hot or cold it gets, an EV must maintain its performance on a reasonable scale and keep occupants comfortable. Otherwise, plug-ins will remain a niche segment.

In fairness, the earliest electric cars were not capable of enduring an intense cold spell. Models without thermal management or advanced climate options burned battery power when there wasn’t much to begin with. Furthermore, drivers who weren’t used to EV technology may not have been prepared for handling these models in winter.

Of course, drivers of gas-powered cars also deal with range loss and other issues in the cold, though they are not as magnified. But getting the most out of an EV in winter takes effort, especially when a car’s range is below 100 miles. Here are steps drivers can take to maximize an electric car’s battery life during winter.

Climate Control

Since EVs do not have the manufactured heat of a combustion engine, drivers must find creative ways to stay warm or otherwise sacrifice battery power. Actually, electric cars do not waste the type of energy gas-powered cars do (as heat), so greater efficiency is the source of the problem.

EV drivers have several methods for reducing battery consumption:

Heating before you unplug. Cold temperatures make a plug-in climate system work hard to warm a car, so there is no point wasting that energy after you stop charging. Before leaving on a trip during winter, heat the car before disconnecting from the power source.

Heated seats. Your car’s power system uses less energy to heat a seat than it would sending warm air into the cabin. Most EVs come with heated seats or offer the option, so consumers living in cold areas should take advantage of them.

Layered clothing. The easiest way to conserve battery power is using little to no heat. Always dress in layers when heading out in winter so you can stay warm whether or not the climate control system helps. A scarf, hat and driving gloves complete winter attire in an EV.

Parking & Charging

Because a battery can lose range simply sitting in subzero temperatures, drivers have to consider where to park their cars when the weather is frigid. The same applies to charging, which can take longer when it’s cold outside.

Though it may be impossible for drivers without a garage, EV owners can try the following:

Parking in an enclosed space. Even public garages with openings on every level are better for retaining battery power than an open-air parking lot. EV owners might try saving charging for overnight in a garage, if possible.

Heated garages. Homeowners with a heated garage are in the best shape when it comes to retaining battery power and limiting energy waste. Mild temperatures allow for faster charging as well.

Driving

There are some aspects of winter that can’t be adjusted. For example, the density of cold air creates more drag for a car to power through, limiting an EVs range. However, you can change some aspects of the drive to make a battery hold its charge.

Steady pacing. Driving in the cold is often an uncomfortable experience, and it can lead to drivers rushing to a destination. Hurrying – accelerating too quickly and speeding in general – is a guaranteed way to drain your battery.

Inflating your tires to the proper pressure level ensures you will get better performance from the car, so check on them frequently during winter. Cold weather changes pressure levels much more than milder temperatures.

Remove unneeded accessories. Roof racks and other addons alter the aerodynamics of any vehicle, which in turn creates a heavier load for the powertrain to support. Unless you are using this type of equipment for every trip, consider taking it down for a bit.

Best EVs for Cold Weather Climates

As with any vehicle purchase, plug-in enthusiasts should choose the model that suits specific driving needs. In the most frigid conditions, a plug-in hybrid may be the only option if you have to drive long distances on a daily basis, unless you are thinking of a high-end model.

Cold-weather EV choices should take the following into account:

Electric cars lose range as the battery ages. If you buy a used model, get an idea of the real-world range and subtract 20-30% to estimate how the car would perform in harsh winter conditions.

Charging station implications. If there are no plugs on the route you plan to take to work or other daily activities, make sure the car has the technology to handle the cold. Newer Nissan Leafs have a reversible heat pump that helps range loss in the winter. Older models will not have this, so even if you see a low-mileage used Leaf it might not work for your needs.

The Chevrolet Bolt EV and any Tesla are great bets. While first-generation EVs maxed out at around 90 miles, there are now several models featuring over 200 miles of- driving range. Every Tesla – from the original base 60 kWh Model S through the 100 kWh S and X – offers better than 200 miles, while Chevy’s new Bolt EV got 238 miles for its EPA quote. These cars give you leeway.

Highway vs. city driving. If your daily routine takes you through city streets with frequent stops, you can get closer to range estimates in winter. Highway drivers will want to trim down their range estimate and then perform the subtraction accounting for the lowest temperatures.

Electric Cars’ Track Record in the Cold

Electric vehicles are already a fixture in places with very cold weather, including Norway, which has the highest adoption rate for EVs of any country on earth. Norway’s embrace of EVs came when the technology was at its earliest stages and cars like the first-gen Leaf were consumer’s best bet.

Moving forward, manufacturers will continue adapting plug-ins to accommodate different climates. With the first mass-market, long-range vehicles finally entering North America, it’s clear electric cars are having their moment. Don’t let the cold scare you off buying one for personal or company use.

When Mary McElhiney, vice president of business operations at ERS, is looking for new hires for her energy efficiency engineering firm she knows exactly where to look – the Energy Department’s Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) program.

ERS, headquartered in North Andover, Massachusetts, was founded by an IAC graduate. Its core services of energy program evaluation, engineering assistance, planning and implementation, and sustainable development help utility, government, and large commercial and industrial clients solve energy and resource problems in cost effective ways. Thirteen of its 94 employees are IAC graduates.

INDUSTRIAL ASSESSMENT CENTERS

There are 28 primary IACs located at colleges and universities around the country. These centers send engineering students, supervised by faculty, to small and medium-sized manufacturers to provide energy assessments and recommendations for cost- and energy-savings solutions. With the professors’ guidance, these students analyze manufacturers’ facilities, energy bills, waste and water systems and more.

INDUSTRIAL ASSESSMENT CENTER IMPACT

To date, more than 17,000 manufacturers have benefited from IAC assessments. An average IAC assessment leads to a 5-7% implemented energy savings and energy productivity improvement. Through each assessment, IAC students apply their engineering knowledge and skills to analyze a unique set of circumstances. No two assessments are the same, instead students learn how to adapt and solve problems.

THE PERFECT MATCH

When McElhiney came to the company 12 years ago, it was very difficult to find engineers who understood the energy management work that the company did. IACs became a recruiting ground because they already had the hands-on experience ERS seeks to provide its clients with the valuable skills needed to meet their business needs.

Satyen Moray, an engineer with ERS at the Rock Hill, Connecticut facility, has been with the company for 15 years. Moray, is also an IAC graduate from the University of Dayton and credits the program with getting him where he is today.

He said he could study textbooks and course materials all day long, but to actually see it is a whole different awareness. During the IAC program, he visited roughly 50 facilities.

“The hands-on nature is instrumental,” said Moray.

Marcus Wilcox couldn’t agree more.

Wilcox is CEO of Cascade Energy, which helps to provide technical services for energy efficiency programs. He co-founded the Portland, Oregon-based company in 1993 and has 120 employees, nine of which are IAC graduates. Wilcox was the first student to join and graduate from the Energy Analysis Diagnosis Center, now known as the Oregon State University IAC. He believes the IAC program changed his future.

“It taught me how to be an engineer in the real world by mapping all the knowledge I had and put it in the context of experience,” he said.

MOVING FORWARD

Today, Wilcox’s advice to students going through the IAC program is simple. He suggests students gain field work experience because there’s real value working with real processes, problems, and people.

He also notes that graduates will be working with people who have been doing their jobs for decades. Energy might not be a priority for some clients and graduates need to learn how to explain the value of energy management practices. Finally, he says skip using the smartphone, email, and social media because personal contact and building relationships will help graduates strengthen their professional skills and their work will be that much more enjoyable.

It was similar advice that has been priceless for Moray.

“It was the best learning [experience] I received in my whole life,” he said.

Moray is a perfect example of why McElhiney continues to rely on IAC graduates to help make the business a success.

“IACs have experience in exactly what we’re doing because they’ve done it before,” she said. “They help these companies even before they come here. I’m a big advocate for the IAC program.”